Currently, 26 Residency Review Committees are responsible for establishing the special requirements of graduate medical education training programs and for monitoring compliance with these minimum standards. The program requirements of each Residency Review Committee include the following statement, with minor variations, which emphasizes the value of “scholarly activity” during residency training:

Graduate medical education must take place in an environment of inquiry and scholarship in which residents participate in the development of new knowledge, learn to evaluate research findings, and develop habits of inquiry as a continuing professional responsibility.

The responsibility for establishing and maintaining an environment of inquiry and scholarship rests with the teaching staff … The staff as a whole must demonstrate broad involvement in scholarly activity. This activity should include active participation … in clinical discussions, rounds, and conferences in a manner that promotes a spirit of inquiry and scholarship … in journal clubs and research conferences … in regional or national scientific societies … in research … and offering of guidance and technical support for resident participation in research [and] … scholarly activities [1].